Bull Shoals is an impoundment of the White River in north-central Arkansas with 45,500 acres of open-water hunting for those willing to go afloat for it. Geese can be virtually anywhere, depending on the current, wave action and availability of crop fields within easy flying distance. There are nearly a thousand miles of shoreline with a wide variety of surrounding land habitat.

Numerous ramps provide access to the lake, and there's plenty of human activity to contend with. Shooting is subject to regular state regulations and on occasion, a limit can be taken.

A dunk in the water can be serious business this time of the year. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it creates it. Even mildly cold water robs the body of its heat 25 times faster than cold air alone. Remember the 50-50-50 rule. A hunter has a 50 percent chance of living if the water temperature is 50 degrees and he has to swim 50 yards.

For more information, call the AGFC at (877) 297-4331.

NORFORK LAKE
Norfork Lake is another open-water destination that can be well worth the drive. The reservoir covers 22,000 acres with a shoreline of well over 500 miles, and like Bull Shoals, is a multi-use lake.

Snows will use the open water to roost and then move out into the surrounding fields. Try to avoid breaking up the birds on the water since they'll move to other locations on the lake and you'll have to start all over again to locate them. If hunters can find the fields where the birds are feeding and then set up between the roosting and feeding areas, that's where the shooting will happen.

"You have to keep up with snow geese," biologist Milligan said. "Snow geese keep moving around from one spot to another. They'll eat out a field in a day or two and then they're gone."

Scout around, find the birds and if there aren't any interception points on public land, get permission to hunt the fields. Most farmers that are in the process of losing their winter wheat will be happy to give hunters permission to hunt. Some of the farms in the area can be large and the farmers stand to lose much if the geese clean out a field.

This open-water hunting destination is another of McArdle's top picks.

The lake is on the Norfork River, four miles upstream from its confluence with the White River by the city of Norfork.

Call the AGFC at (877) 444-6777 for additional information.